This application incorporates by reference, and claims priority to and the benefit of, German patent application serial number 10118986.9, which was filed on Apr. 18, 2001.
The present invention relates to an article of footwear, the outsole of which is provided with exchangeable studs. In particular, the present invention relates to a sole with at least one receptacle and at least one stud that can be releasably mounted in the receptacle.
It is known to provide sports shoes or walking boots, and in particular soccer shoes, with studs in order to increase the grip of the shoe, in particular, on soft ground such as grass. The term xe2x80x9cstudsxe2x80x9d is to be understood in the context of the present invention as meaning all possible elements which are arranged on outsoles of footwear in order to increase grip. The term xe2x80x9cstudsxe2x80x9d is intended to include, for example, studs for soccer shoes, spikes for golf shoes, and studs for walking boots.
If the shoes are to be used on changing ground conditions, it is advantageous if the stud is releasably attached to the sole. It has been known to attach studs to the soles of soccer shoes by means of threads. In addition to being able to adapt the shoe to a particular ground condition, worn studs can be replaced so that a new shoe is not necessary. If, however, during a soccer game (or a golf tournament) the studs must be replaced in a very short time due to changing weather conditions and/or changing ground conditions, screw studs anchored by screw threads or by additional pins or expanding elements, etc., are disadvantageous due to the time required to change the studs.
Other attachment systems exist where, for example, the stud can be xe2x80x9cclippedxe2x80x9d into a corresponding receptacle of the sole simply by inserting the stud without having to perform any additional assembly step. Such constructions are, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,638,615 and 4,035,934, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties
U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,615 discloses a metal socket with a circular snap ring provided therein. The snap ring is made from flexible steel and, together with the socket, is embedded in a receptacle for the stud during the manufacture of the sole. When a base portion of the stud to be mounted is inserted, the snap ring is expanded before it snaps into an annular groove of the base portion and thereby fastens the stud. The rotationally symmetric form of the receptacle and the stud allows for rotation of the mounted stud in the receptacle.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,934 discloses two metal spring pins arranged in a receptacle, which are deflected during insertion of a base member of the stud and engage a corresponding groove of the base member when the base member is completely inserted. The complete receptacle with the spring pin and other components is preassembled on a plate during the manufacture of the sole and is subsequently attached in a corresponding bore of the sole.
Disadvantages of the studs of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,638,615 and 4,035,934 include the manufacturing complexity and the resulting costs. As previously mentioned, an initial preassembly of the receptacle assembly is required and the receptacle assembly is subsequently connected to the sole in a further manufacturing step. Also, the large number of small parts used renders automation difficult, such that a substantial amount of manual work is required. Further, there are metal parts used in the receptacle assembly that are susceptible to rust, and there is always the danger of losing a spring or a snap ring when the studs are replaced.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a sole for the releasable attachment of at least one stud, which combines the advantages of an easy mounting of the stud with a simple and cost efficient manufacture of the sole and which does not require the use of a large number of small parts.
The present invention relates to a sole with at least one receptacle and at least one stud, which can be releasably mounted in the receptacle by insertion. A fastening projection extending from the stud and including a locking member is insertable into the receptacle, thereby deflecting a flexible wall within the receptacle. The flexible wall also includes a locking member that engages the stud locking member to prevent inadvertent release of the stud.
The flexible wall of the receptacle acts like a xe2x80x9cspring element,xe2x80x9d allowing interlocking of the locking members when the fastening projection of the stud is inserted. Because the flexible wall is an integral part of the sole, no additional components are required, in contrast to the prior art. On the contrary, a sole in accordance with the invention may be manufactured as a single piece, including the receptacle with the flexible wall and the locking member. Typically, a cavity is provided in the sole adjacent to the receptacle, so that the flexible wall is deflected into the cavity during insertion of the fastening projection. This facilitates elastic deflection of the wall, without having to provide special, highly elastic materials in the receptacle.
The fastening projection of the stud can be oblong and the wall between the cavity and the receptacle can be generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fastening projection. Thus, the stud is secured against rotation in the receptacle. This is desirable, especially if the studs have a distinct asymmetric shape in order to meet specific functional requirements. Further, if desired, a key and slot or other mating structure can be provided on the projection and in the receptacle so that the stud can be inserted in solely a single orientation.
In one aspect, the invention relates to a sole including a bottom surface defining a receptacle and a stud removably inserted therein. The receptacle includes a flexible wall and a first locking member disposed on an internal surface of the flexible wall. The stud includes a ground-engaging portion and a fastening projection extending therefrom. The fastening projection includes a second locking member disposed on an external surface thereof and is for insertion into the receptacle. The fastening projection deflects the flexible wall when inserted into the receptacle until the first locking member and the second locking member engage.
In another aspect, the invention relates to an article of footwear including an upper and a sole. The sole includes a bottom surface defining a receptacle and a stud removably inserted therein. The receptacle includes a flexible wall and a first locking member disposed on an internal surface of the flexible wall. The stud includes a ground-engaging portion and a fastening projection extending therefrom. The fastening projection includes a second locking member disposed on an external surface thereof and is for insertion into the receptacle. The fastening projection deflects the flexible wall when inserted into the receptacle until the first locking member and the second locking member engage.
In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a stud for a shoe sole. The stud includes a ground-engaging portion and a fastening projection extending from the ground-engaging portion. The fastening projection includes a locking member disposed on an external surface thereof and is insertable into a receptacle disposed in the shoe sole. The fastening projection deflects a flexible wall of the receptacle when inserted into the receptacle until the locking member engages a mating locking member disposed within the receptacle.
In various embodiments of the foregoing aspects of the invention, the sole forms a cavity disposed adjacent the flexible wall of the receptacle. The cavity can receive the flexible wall when deflected by the fastening projection. The first locking member can be a protuberance and the second locking member can be a mating recess for engaging the protuberance when the fastening projection is inserted into the receptacle. In another embodiment, the first locking member can be a recess and the second locking member can be a mating protuberance for engaging the recess when the fastening projection is inserted into the receptacle. During insertion of the fastening projection, the flexible wall is pressed into the cavity until the protuberance and the corresponding recess are aligned and engage each other. In one embodiment, the cavity can be formed as a recess, open to a top surface of the sole.
In other embodiments, the receptacle can include a second flexible wall and an additional first locking member disposed on an internal surface of the second flexible wall. The fastening projection can include a corresponding additional second locking member disposed on the external surface of the fastening projection. The sole can further form a second cavity disposed adjacent the second flexible wall of the receptacle. The second cavity can receive the second flexible wall when deflected by the fastening projection.
Furthermore, the receptacle, the cavity, and the flexible wall can be integrally formed with the sole. In one embodiment, the fastening projection of the stud has a generally oblong shape. The flexible wall(s) of the receptacle can be substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fastening projection. In one embodiment, at least one side of the receptacle is at least partially circumscribed by the cavity and the flexible wall. The first flexible wall and the second flexible wall can be generally disposed on opposite sides of the receptacle. The two second locking members can be disposed on a first longitudinal side and a second longitudinal side of the fastening projection, respectively, and the two first locking members can be disposed on the corresponding flexible walls of the receptacle.
In addition, the ground-engaging portion of the stud can optionally include an engagement feature for facilitating removing the stud from the receptacle. The engagement feature can include at least one recess disposed on an external surface of the ground-engaging portion. Alternatively, the engagement feature can include two recesses generally disposed on opposite sides of an external surface of the ground-engaging portion. In one embodiment, the receptacle is disposed at least partially within a downwardly projecting base member disposed on the bottom surface of the sole. The base member can optionally include an insert disposed within a distal end of the receptacle. The insert can optionally include a metal ring. The sole can include a plurality of receptacles and a plurality of corresponding studs.
These and other objects, along with advantages and features of the present invention herein disclosed, will become apparent through reference to the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the claims. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the features of the various embodiments described herein are not mutually exclusive and can exist in various combinations and permutations.